Active airflow control device for vacuum paper transport

A method of operating a marker transport system, comprising:

• moving a sheet of media upon a marker transport platen associated with at least one print head, the marker transport platen including airflow sections comprising process-direction slots and a plurality of vacuum channels extending across a length of the marker transport platen;
• operating at least one plate to move in a cross-process direction, wherein the at least one plate controls airflow in an area under the at least one print head, and wherein the at least one plate in a first position allows airflow when the sheet of media is located at the first position and wherein the at least one plate in a second position blocks the airflow at the second position;
• and
• providing a vacuum facilitated by the plurality of vacuum channels under the sheet of media as the sheet of media traverses a print path across the marker transport platen, wherein a no-vacuum inter-document zone is provided, which moves along with the sheet of media under the at least one print head and wherein the second position is used to minimize the airflow to the at least one print head while the at least one print head is in a print position and waiting to print.

A marker transport system, comprising:

• at least one processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions to cause the at least one processor to perform:
• moving a sheet of media upon a marker transport platen associated with at least one print head, the marker transport platen including airflow sections comprising process-direction slots and a plurality of vacuum channels extending across a length of the marker transport platen;
• operating at least one plate to move in a cross-process direction, wherein the at least one plate controls airflow in an area under the at least one print head, and wherein the at least one plate in a first position allows airflow when the sheet of media is located at the first position and wherein the at least one plate in a second position blocks the airflow at the second position;
• and
• providing a vacuum through the plurality of vacuum channels under the sheet of media as the sheet of media traverses a print path across the marker transport platen, wherein a no-vacuum inter-document zone is provided, which moves along with the sheet of media under the at least one print head and wherein the second position is used to minimize the airflow to the at least one print head while the at least one print head is in a print position and waiting to print.